Serendipity35

Isaac Newton was born January 4, 1643. He was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and natural philosopher.  He was also an alchemist and theologian.

Newton is considered by many scholars and members of the general public to be one of the most influential people in human history. He's a great figure for study in the classroom and a natural way to mix science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) - and even some history and humanities.

His Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica (Latin for "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy" and usually called the Principia), published in 1687, is probably the most important scientific book ever written.

The book lays the groundwork for most of classical mechanics. Newton described universal gravitation and the three laws of motion, which dominated the scientific view of the physical universe for the next three centuries. Newton showed that the motions of objects on Earth and of celestial bodies are governed by the same set of natural laws, by demonstrating the consistency between Kepler's laws of planetary motion and his theory of gravitation.

I have always found it very interesting that Newton was also highly religious. He was an unorthodox Christian, and during his lifetime actually wrote more on Biblical hermeneutics and occult studies than on science and mathematics.

For some free and easy schooling, take a look at him in video program 6 in The Mechanical Universe...and Beyond, "Newton's Laws" http://www.learner.org/resources/series42.html

In  "Physics for the 21st Century,"  Newton is discussed in the video and online text in unit 3, "Gravity."   http://www.learner.org/courses/physics/unit/text.html?unit=3&secNum=0

And look at Mathematics Illuminated where Newton is discussed in the context of "Concepts of Chaos," program 13.    http://www.learner.org/courses/mathilluminated/units/13/